Bus no 842 exploded in Shanghai earlier today - the reason for it exploding are currently unknown. The fire department say it was a fire, local residents and witnesses say it was an explosion.
To make matters worse for the occupants, the rear door would not open, leading people to stampede to the front door on the bus. People began to jump out of the windows, however, it seems that 3 people did not make it out of the bus.
The cause of the fire is flammable material being carried on the bus by a passenger.
Thats the reason they gave last night on the news from the HK channels too.
The Nanfang daily (local Guangzhou rag) said that the engine caught fire and then it spread to the rest of the bus….. apparently the driver didn’t open the rear doors either..
Amazing how they can give a reason for it so soon after it happened.
Saw one of the double decker sleeper stack em in buses in the winter of ‘98 near Yantai still smoking and steaming in the middle of the main road. Apparently the petrol powered heater exploded. We counted 13 poor well roasted souls laid out on the road. Not a good start to the day!
Then 3 months later came across two small buses that had just had a head on on a single lane bridge both had been going like hell(as usual)in a very heavy fog. We helped get what was left of the live ones out, including prising them of glass and steel. Total dead 18!! And the sad thing is that nothing has changed in 10yrs!
I never understand why bus drivers have to drive so fast in China. I remember in Hong Kong, several times while I was taking the bus from the Peak to Central, the bus driver raced down the mountain like he stepped out of he was Sebastian Loeb.
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They should learn to take it easy and relaxed like they do in N. America. Hell the bus driver here is so relaxed he gets out of the bus WHILE THERE ARE PASSENGERS to buy a coffee and a paper